Moonlight
by inharborlights
Summary: "Meet me outside the Gryffindor Common Room TONIGHT at 12:30. Wear a sweater." Mathias flipped the note over once again to look for an explanation, but found nothing more. - Pottertalia Dennor Friendship/Romance/Fluff. Rated T for mild language and some romantic/sexual themes.
1. Chapter 1

Mathias's evening had started normally enough: after finishing up his charms class, where all of the 5th year Gryffindors had studied a new silencing charm, he decided to neglect the small pile of homework that he'd received that day and head down to dinner. Per the usual, he debated the costs and benefits of pulling a prank on Professor Binns with his friend Alfred and ate plenty of delicious food.

The first indication of his adventures to come arrived as he was preparing to leave for Quidditch practice. He was just slinging his bag over his shoulder when he saw a majestic, graphite-hued Peregrin Falcon gracefully dive down next to his glass of pumpkin juice. The falcon, of course, could only belong to his friend Lukas; why he'd choose to send Mathias a note rather than speaking to him, though, Mathias didn't understand. He quickly took the paper from the bird and turned it over, scanning the familiar cursive.

_Meet me outside the Gryffindor Common Room TONIGHT at 12:30. Wear a sweater._

He flipped it over once more to look for an explanation, but found nothing more. Burning with curiosity, he stood on his toes to get a glimpse of where Lukas was sitting at the Slytherin table. He looked the same as always: bored, pale, and unnervingly handsome - nothing to indicate that he was planning trouble. Mathias took one last look at the note, stuck it in his robes pocket, and began to walk to the Quidditch pitch.

He had played poorly, too preoccupied with questions to properly manage his job as a Beater. After an especially close call where he'd only just managed to whack away a bludger before it collided with a chaser's head, the team captain dismissed him and he was left to sit and wait in Gryffindor tower until Lukas arrived.

And at 12:32 AM, Lukas came padding up the steps with his wand in one hand and a ragged Invisibility Cloak in the other. The dim light emanating from his wand tip cast shadows across his delicate features, throwing his handsome face into a mischievous mask.

"Where the hell did you get one of _that?!" _Mathias gaped, eyes glued to the cloak.

"Made it m'self," Lukas replied, unfastening the button on it. "I found a book in the Restricted section that explained the process of enchanting it while I was picking up a Defence Against the Dark Arts book. It took me a week and I burned holes in two of my spare cloaks, but I just perfected this one this morning. Now, come on," he said, holding out the cloak in front of him.

Mathias shivered and quickly stepped forward, taking the cloak from Lukas and trying his best to spread it over both of them. A minute later, two seemingly-ownerless pairs of feet took off stumbling through the castle.

Mathias squinted around him in the thick darkness, searching for any school ghosts or cats that might alert a teacher to their little escapade . "Filch is gonna whoop our asses if he catches us," he commented.

"I know, so shut up so we don't get caught."

"Alright, alright. Can I ask you something first?"

"No."

Mathias ignored his friend's exasperated response. "What exactly are we doing, wandering around the castle in the middle of the night?"

Lukas kept his gaze on the darkness in front of them. "That's classified information," he drawled, a tiny smile pulling at the corners of his mouth.

Mathias's heart fluttered as he bit back another question. He scooted closer to Lukas under the invisibility cloak, enjoying the warmth radiating from him wherever their arms touched. Lukas sighed but didn't pull away, much to Mathias's delight.

The pair of them walked in near-silence through the castle. After several backtracks and sharp turns that left Mathias with a queasy feeling in his stomach, their wand light shone over a heavy wooden door. Lukas checked to make sure that no ghosts were around to see them, then quietly muttered "_Alohomora." _The iron lock swung open with a click and Lukas grabbed Mathias's hand, swiftly tugging him out into the cool April air.


	2. Chapter 2

Lukas released Mathias's hand as soon as they had shut the door behind them. He neatly folded up his invisibility cloak and packed it away in his bag as Mathias eagerly looked around them.

"The grounds! I've only been here at night one time before now, remember that? I sent Ber a howler with the lyrics to Dancing Queen by ABBA at breakfast and he marched straight over to Gryffindor table and punched me in the nose. We both ended up being sent to the forest with Hagrid to-"

"Shhh, Mat, you're gonna wake the entire castle if ya keep going on like that," Lukas interjected, giving his friend a warning look. At Mathias's guilty expression, Lukas once again took his warm, rough hand in his own and began to lead him down the grassy slope towards the forest.

Both of their eyes trailed down to their interlocked hands, but they looked away quickly. "You still haven't told me why you're taking me on a nighttime stroll through the castle and grounds. Not that I mind, of course," Mathias added, staring at the star-filled sky above them.

Lukas hummed, straining his eyes in the darkness. "It's a surprise, but you're going to love it. Now, no more questions and shut your damn eyes until we get there, _forstår du_?" Lukas answered.

Even in the darkness he saw a huge grin spread across Mathias's face. When he was sure that he wasn't peeking, Lukas entwined their fingers, allowing a rare smile to cross his lips.

The pair stumbled their way past Hagrid's hut and into the Forbidden Forest. Every time Mathias blindly tripped on a tree root, he'd cuss loudly and Lukas would have to tell him to keep his mouth shut before quickly looking around to make sure that they hadn't alerted any…. Unsavory creatures to their presence there. After five minutes of walking, Lukas commanded Mathias to stop.

"Alright! Tell me what it is, come on!" Mathias insisted, jumping up and down a little bit with excitement.

"It's a little something that Hagrid found a few days ago. His mother rejected him after he was born, so the poor beast's an orphan now. Hagrid built a pen for him and had me do a few enchantments to make sure he'd be safe in there," Lukas responded. He let go of Mathias's hand. "You can open your eyes now."

Mathias blinked and squinted through the darkness for a moment until he focused on what was before him. He stayed rooted where he was standing, his eyes bulged wide open. "Holy shit," he breathed.

Lukas nearly laughed at the starstruck expression on his face. "I told you that you'd like him. You don't get to see unicorn foals every day, now do you?"

Ten feet from them in a small chicken-wire corral stood the most beautiful creature either of them had every seen. The foal's coat was snowy white, dazzlingly so; it seemed to light up the grass around it, as though it was made of pure moonlight. It's equestrian stature was distinctly delicate, lending it an unmatchable gracefulness that was only accentuated by it's large, shining black eyes and silvery, spiraled horn that sprouted from it's forehead.

Mathias barely seemed to be listening to him. His eyes stayed locked on the foal as he semi-consciously stretched out a hand, as if he were going to run forward and stroke it. "It's…." He turned to Lukas, his face glowing with amazed admiration. "Beautiful. Thank you so much for showing me."

Lukas's heart felt like it was going to fly straight out of his chest. Mathias looked so earnest, so innocently excitedin the moonlight with his messy blonde hair and handsome face filled with gentle wonderment, his well-built body leaning forward with delighted curiosity-

He tried to shake himself out of his stupor. What the hell was happening to him?! Mathias was his friend and only that, nothing more. There was so little chance that he would ever feel the same way about Lukas; it would be best to just try to continue to ignore the fluttering in his stomach that started every time he talked to Mathias and get over it.

Lukas took a shaky breath. "You're welc-"

He was cut short with an "_umph" _as the other boy threw himself against him. Mathias hugged him so tightly it was hard to breathe, but Lukas didn't mind at all. He awkwardly patted the taller boy's back the best that he could with his arms pinned to his sides.

They stayed like that for a few seconds, long enough for Lukas to start wondering until Mathias slowly pulled away, directing his gaze back to the unicorn. Lukas continued to watch him. "If you're gentle, he'll probably let you pet him," he murmured.

Mathias's breath caught in his throat as he turned back towards his friend. "Really?!" He answered, voice filled with anticipation.

Lukas nodded. "Go up to him slowly, though. No sudden movements or loud noises," he cautioned.

Mathias nodded determinedly and slowly began inching towards the foal, hand outstretched and making soft clicking noises with his tongue. The unicorn, though hesitant at first, shyly inched forward and touched the tip of it's nose to his hand. He gasped in surprise and slowly stroked the foal's velvety head. His head whipped back towards Lukas, face full of unadulterated, pure joy.

In that moment, something inside of Lukas broke. All of the barriers that he'd constructed within himself that night, for weeks, for months, for years: they all crumbled under a wave of affection that pulsed throughout his entire body. He'd tried so hard to fight it but he couldn't hold back now - he loved Mathias. Lukas loved him, he loved his energy, his curiosity, his loyalty, his warmth, his friendship, and even his obnoxiousness. There was no point in denying it any longer.

Before he fully realized what he was doing, Lukas took four long strides over to Mathias, grabbed him by his shirt collars and pulled Mathias's lips to his own. He kissed hungrily, with an uncensored longing and fierceness that communicated everything that he'd refused to say out loud in the past few years. Mathias stood there stunned for only a moment before wrapping his arms around Lukas and kissing back with just as much enthusiasm.

When they finally broke apart to breathe, Mathias regarded him with an amazed expression. "Oh my god," he panted.

Lukas wasn't sure what to say. "Uhh… Whoops?"

Mathias started laughing. "I can't believe this. I've had a huge crush on you since 2nd year but I always thought that you were straight! I never thought that you'd ever be into me, never in my wildest dreams." A dopey grin spread across his face and he took Lukas's hands in his own. "I guess I was wrong, though."

Lukas let out a breath he didn't know he was holding and slowly closed his eyes, filled with relief. "Same here," he breathed.

Mathias kissed him again, more gentle this time. When they broke away again, Lukas glanced over towards the foal's pen. The poor beast pawing at the ground nervously at the other side of the ring, watching them cautiously. "I think we scared him off," he commented.

Mathias ran his hand through his tousled blonde hair. "Oh well. Ya win some, ya lose some," he replied.

Lukas once again twined their fingers together. "On that note, it's time for us to get back to the castle. We should let him have his sleep, and I know for a fact that we've got a double potions quiz tomorrow that you haven't studied for."

A sheepish look came over Mathias's face. "You wouldn't mind helping me review for an hour or two, would you?" He asked cheekily, reaching forward to tuck a lock of hair behind Lukas's ear.

"Of course I would, you idiot, I need my beauty sleep," he deadpanned.

"Lukas!" Mathias whined.

Lukas tried to hide his smirk. "Well, a little bit of reviewing…" he murmured, pausing to reach up and kiss Mathias's pouting lips, "Wouldn't hurt, I guess."

Mathias laughed. "Let's go then, before Hagrid wakes up to find us pestering his unicorn."

And with the moonlight guiding their steps, they set off back to the castle together.


End file.
